Improvement in watch-keys



J. C. DUEBER.

WATCH-KEY.

No 178 746 Patented J'une13, 1876.

v yiltflfs u 42f I MPETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHXNGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrron.

JOHN G. DUEBER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATCH-KEYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 78,746, dated June 13, 1876; application filed March 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. DUEBER, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Combined Watchfor securing each piece or key within the pendant, so as to prevent any accidental separation, and yet permit of the instantaneous removal of such piece from its socket in the pendant when desired, and its equally ready reinsertion within the pendant.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a watch-pendant and key embodying my improvement, the key being detached and a portion of the pendant broken away. Fig. 2 shows the same parts in section.

A may represent a portion of a watch-case of any customary form, and B the customary casespring. The pendantB is traversed from end to end by an axial aperture, D, to receive the stem and pipe of my combined push-piece and winding key FL Projecting into this aperture is a pin or stud, G. The piece F consists'of a stem, H, which terminates, at one end, in a milled head, I, and at the other in a pipe, J, having the usual square bore 'j. That part of the head I next the stem is recessed to form an annular groove, it, around the stem. The stem H has a bayonet-groove, consisting'of a longitudinal portion, K, open at one end, and joined at its other end to a latitudinal portion, L, whose other extremity connects with a short longitudinal portion, M.

The operation of my key and push-piece is as follows: For insertion in the pendant, the stem H J is thrust into the aperture D and turned around by means of its milled head until the open-ended portion K of the bayonetgroove reaches the pin .G. A continued pressure upon the head causes said pin to pass to the extremity of the portion K, and a slight rotation of said head to the right causes said pin to traverse the portion L until, reaching the portion M, the pressure of the case-spring causes the pin to enter and remain within the said portion M. If, now, it be desired to use the key as a push-piece, the operator has only to depress the head I in the usual manner, and, for this purpose, it being sufficient to depress the head through a distance equal to a portion of the length of the portion M, there is no liability of the piece becoming accidentally detached.

When-desired for use as a key, the abovedescribed operations of insertion are simply reversed, so as to liberate the piece, when it may be used to wind the watch in the usual way.

Owing to the comparatively few revolutions of the key compared to those necessary in stem-winders, the entire process of removal, winding, and reinsertion occupy less time than the winding of those watches whose key remains with the pendant.

While the above is the preferred illustration of my invention and that which I manufacture, it is manifest that the same might be varied by putting the pin- G on the key-stem, and, instead of the bayonet-groove K L M, a slot of corresponding shape in the pendant, which slot would be covered by the walls of the annular depression h in the head I.

My practice is to make the pipe J of a separate piece of steel, screwed into the stem of brass or other metal. This device is preferable to a stem-winder, because of its more rapid operation and less cost, and is preferable to the common loose key, because less liable to be lost and more conveniently carried.

The groove K, instead of being longitudinal, as shown, maybe spiral or oblique, in which case the key will find itswayinto its seat by giving it a simple rotary movement, accom panied by a slight inward pressure.

I am aware that a combined push-piece and key has before been applied to a watch-pendant and secured by a lug on the key engaging in a groove in the interior of the pendant. 1 am not aware that any practical mode of forming such grooves in the interior of the pendant, at a sufficiently low cost to render the invention economically available, has ever been described.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the pendant 0, prowithin the recess hot the head I, and provided vided with an internal lug or pin, G, the with a pin or lug, G, to engage in the external spring B, and the push-piece H, constructed groove K L M on the body H, substantially with an external bayonet-groove, K L M, to as set forth.

Work in connection with the said internal lug In testimony of which invention I hereunto G, in substantially the manner described. i set my hand.

2. The push-piece, constructed with a recessed head, I, and grooved body H, and a Attest: key-barrel, J in combination with the pendant GEO. H. KNIGHT, O, constructed with a cylindrical end to fit JoHN G. HEALY.

JOHN G. D UEBER. 

